The Latest: GOP senators not backing down on budget

The Latest on the Wisconsin state Senate's budget votes (all times local):

4:40 p.m.

It doesn't look like any of the four senators holding out support for the state budget are backing down.

The Assembly passed the budget on Wednesday. The Senate is scheduled to take up the document Friday but Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald doesn't have the 17 votes he needs to pass it.

Four GOP senators — Steve Nass, Duey Stroebel, Chris Kapenga and Dave Craig — have refused to vote for the budget. Nass, Stroebel and Kapenga have given Fitzgerald a list of amendments they want, including expanding the state's voucher school program, blocking the University of Wisconsin System from spending $4 million on diversity training and moving up repeal of prevailing wage laws from September 2018 to January.

Kapenga said Thursday he doesn't plan to back down. Nass aide Mike Mikalsen says Nass remains a 'no' as well. Stroebel told WISN talk radio show host Mark Belling that the items are big campaign points for the senators and they would make the budget better.

Craig didn't return a message.

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3:50 p.m.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos is calling demands from three Republican senators to amend the state budget a "ransom list."

The Assembly passed the budget on Wednesday. The Senate is scheduled to take up the document Friday but Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald doesn't have the 17 votes he needs to pass it.

Four GOP senators — Steve Nass, Duey Stroebel, Chris Kapenga and Dave Craig — have refused to vote for the budget. Nass, Stroebel and Kapenga have given Fitzgerald a detailed list of amendments they want to see, including expanding the state's voucher school program, blocking the University of Wisconsin System from spending $4 million on diversity training and moving up repeal of prevailing wage laws from September 2018 to January.

Vos says the demands are a ransom list and the three senators are holding the state "hostage" for their pet projects. He said the Assembly would reject any changes the Senate might make to the budget and the senators should introduce their demands as stand-alone bills. He says for him the budget process is over.

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12:30 p.m.

A key state senator who has refused to support the state budget isn't backing down.

Assembly Republicans passed the budget on Wednesday. The Senate is scheduled to take up the spending document Friday but Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says he doesn't have the 17 votes he needs to pass it.

Four GOP senators — Steve Nass, Duey Stroebel, Chris Kapenga and Dave Craig — have refused to vote for the budget. Nass, Stroebel and Kapenga have given Fitzgerald a detailed list of amendments they want to see, including expanding the state's voucher school program, blocking the University of Wisconsin System from spending $4 million on diversity training and moving up repeal of the state's prevailing wage laws from September 2018 to January.

Fitzgerald needs one of the four to vote "yes" to get to 17. Kapenga said in a telephone interview Thursday that he plans to keep talking with Fitzgerald but he wants the provisions in the budget because there's no guarantee they pass as stand-alone bills.

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9:40 p.m.

One of five Wisconsin state senators who refused to support the state budget has changed his mind, leaving the chamber four votes short of passage.

Assembly Republicans passed the budget on Wednesday, sending the spending plan on to the Senate. Republicans control that chamber 20-13 but need 17 votes to pass anything. Five GOP senators — Steve Nass, Duey Stroebel, Chris Kapenga, Robert Cowles and Dave Craig — have refused to support the document, leaving Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald in a quandary.

Cowles said Thursday morning that he opposed the budget because it includes too many policy items that should be considered as separate bills. But he said that over the last day he realized Republican leaders aren't going to take them out and he now plans to vote "yes."

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